The Power of Time
by BlackMH
Summary: The power of time is an incredible force. This is the story of how time plagued these two people, who's hearts were burdened with the test of time, who were united through its virtue.  Birthday Songfic for a very special girl. A song for each chapter.
1. Sunset

I wrote this story as a birthday gift for my girlfriend. It's already completed, but you guys will have to wait for the rest of the chapters. Want me to update quicker? Then please review. :)

The Power Of Time

_The power of time is an incredible force._

_It has the power to change, to wither, to move…_

**Chapter 1** - Sunset

_**She's got you high and you don't even know yet.**_

_**She's got you high and you don't even know yet.**_

The blaze of the sunset stung his eyes every time he blinked. His eyes were growing heavier the longer he stood awake. It didn't help that he was exhausted from the day's earlier events. With every breath, his body beckoned for the warm embrace of bed, his consciousness waning and the pull of sleep growing within his person. It was a battle for sleep waging in his body, and he was losing.

_**The sun's in the sky, its warming up your bare legs.**_

_**You can't deny you're looking for the sunset.**_

He'd normally sleep a little later into the night like he'd usually do, but due to the slow pace of time life had been moving at, sleep had become more appealing as the sun took longer strides into the sky each day. He refused to sleep this early without some sort of accomplishment of a heroic feat achieved today. But as there was nothing to do and no one who needed to be saved all week, he was finding it harder to fill in the huge gaps in his schedule. Not to mention how the intense heat of the sun had been exhausting him quicker than normal.

_**She's got you high and you don't even know yet.**_

_**She's got you high and you don't even know yet.**_

At the very least, Finn didn't want to sleep without an objective to do the next day.

"Man, the days have been getting slower, haven't they?" he asked the air.

Finn knew he looked awkward speaking to no one but himself. And even if he weren't alone, as someone could be listening in on him talking to himself, he wouldn't care. It was a moment in his life where he harbored little care for anything in the world, whereas he'd normally be sensitive to other's opinions, and Finn wasn't sure of what to make of it. Generally, he didn't care.

_**It's the search for the time before it leaves without you.**_

_**Have you lost your mind or has she taken all of yours too?**_

He closed his eye lids, passively ignoring the sting in his eyes, and laid his head back on the wood as he rested his mind. Giving up on conjuring an objective for tomorrow, he let his mind free to wander the depths of his subconscious. He watched through his mind's eye as images of various random things listlessly entered and exited the scope of his conscious. One of those images showed him the image of the Ice King holding the princess of the Candy Kingdom under his arm.

It was then that Finn was reminded how long it had been since he contacted the princess.

_**What's this about? I figured love would shine through.**_

_**(Sheee's got you high…)**_

_**We've lost romance this world has turned so see through.**_

"Huh, it has been a while…" he said to himself.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized how long it had been since the two spoke much to each other. It was roughly a week ago when he saved Bubblegum from the Ice King's palace and she congratulated him heroically. He thought back to other days beyond that, but the only time he and the princess spoke to one another would be during the weekly rescue mission or the rare phone call. Otherwise, there had been little conversation between them all week, all month, even.

"Hmm… I should go check up on her…" he said, staring at the sun touching the horizon, "…tomorrow."

_**Open your mind, believe it's going to come to.**_

_**(Sheeee's got you high…)**_

_**Keep romance alive and hope she's going to tell you.**_

Finn brought his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them, as he continued to bide the flow of time.

Now that his subconscious brought it up, Finn couldn't focus on any thought other than the candy princess. He was normally shy about thinking of the princess in any way, but whenever she did make an appearance in his mind, he'd usually just think about the features he liked the most about her. The way she smiles, her brilliant scientific mind, her kooky whacked dark side she shades with an adorable demeanor. Finn began to blush at the image of her in his head, her sweet face, her tall stature, her voluptuous shape…

_**She's got you high and you don't even know yet.**_

_**She's got you high and you don't even know yet.**_

With a fierce shake of the head, Finn forcefully removed the dishonorable image that cropped up in his mind, his face flushed with heat. It was unjust and dishonorable how his subconscious could possibly conceive that image. Finn would never think so low like that and he became ashamed of himself for subconsciously thinking of the princess like that. What compelled his brain to paint such an image anyway?

_**The sun's in the sky, it makes for happy endings.**_

_**You can't deny you want a happy ending.**_

Perhaps it was his inner desire to see Bubblegum again after nearly a month long absence. He spent much of his free time adventuring or exploring, but whenever he got the chance to visit the Candy Kingdom, she would always be inside and unable to meet visitors, as well as other heat sensitive candy people turning reclusive. He naturally grew concerned about the princess's well being, but then he recalled being told by her that she wasn't fond of intense heat or hot days, as she would melt from the exposure. Considering it was summer, the hottest session of months all year, it was feasible as to why Bubblegum hasn't been outside as often as she had been.

_**What's this about? I figured love would shine through.**_

_**(Sheeeee's got you high…)**_

_**We've lost romance this world has turned so see through.**_

"She must be really lonely in that castle…" Finn said to himself.

Bubblegum had remained cooped up in her castle during the day, and even during the night she rarely left the walls of the palace, for that the leftovers of the sun's wrath still lingered in the air and made things unbearable for her. This had been going on for a month or so now. If anything, he figured, she could use some company to occupy her while she bided the summer heat during the day. And since Finn's schedule was wide open, he could potentially spend the whole day with her if she wanted, and perhaps a little extra compensation for being a good friend. What a dream that would be…

_**Open your mind, believe it's going to come to.**_

_**(Sheeeee's got you high…)**_

_**Keep romance alive and hope she's going to tell you.**_

Finn sighed as he lightly shook the thought from his head. It was no use bringing his hopes up like that. He knew well enough about the status of their relationship and how Bubblegum only looked at him like a little brother, being shorter than her, less smarter than her, always asking the questions for something he didn't understand. Besides, he probably wasn't her type. The princess would rather have someone tall, smart, handsome, and not a little kid.

_**She's got you high…**_

Finn was normally optimistic about the things that crossed his mind, especially love. But after a few weeks of not seeing the princess or having thoughts of her, he noticed how far he was from Bubblegum as a romantic interest. He began to realize the reality of their relationship.

_**She's got you high…**_

"We're just friends…but…can it be more than that?"

_**She's got you high…**_

He had to face it. After such a long time of nothing happening between the two or any light of hope for a romantic union, the possibility of becoming romantically involved with the princess dwindled by the day.

Besides, if Bubblegum really did share the same feelings, why hasn't she tried to return them?

_**What's this about? I figured love would shine through.**_

_**(Sheeeee's got you high…)**_

_**We've lost romance this world has turned so see through.**_

Finn reminded himself about his not so secret crush on the princess and how everyone was aware of this. Even Marceline knew about this childish infatuation and exploited it whenever she could for her own amusement. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that Bubblegum was aware of it as well, she even seemed to tease him about it. So if she had the same feelings for Finn like he'd like to think so, she'd cut the foreplay and tell him soon, right?

"She likes me too…doesn't she?"

_**Open your mind, believe it's going to come to.**_

_**(Sheeeee's got you high…)**_

_**Keep romance alive and hope she's going to tell you.**_

But no. She hasn't hinted at any mutual feelings, other than the occasional tease or hug, in the months they've known each other, nor was she showing any signs of developing them. Things between them have been rather stale and uninteresting, and it's been that way since they first met. It was likely she was keeping the crush in mind and did not want to waste her time pursuing it to Finn's wishes. Not to mention the obvious fact that he was still just a kid compared to her.

The more he thought about it, the more far-fetched the idea seemed.

_**What's this about? I figured love would shine through.**_

_**(Sheeeee's got you high…)**_

_**We've lost romance this world has turned so see through.**_

Finn shook his head again. He couldn't lose hope like that. There was always the chance that perhaps Bubblegum had been playing hard to get, waiting for Finn to confess his feelings to her first so that she could feel better about her emotions. Maybe she really is madly in love with him, but she's too shy to tell him.

"Yeah, maybe she's just teasing me…"

Of course, there was also the chance that Finn was just being delusional to the jarring truth he had dug up, but Finn buried that idea in his conscious.

_**Open your mind, believe it's going to come to.**_

_**(Sheeeee's got you high…)**_

_**Keep romance alive and hope she's going to tell you.**_

Finn looked back to the sunset, almost forgetting it was there, as it was hunkering under the horizon in preparation for sleep. The recession of the sun brought upon a shade of night from the opposite side of the sky, painting clouds a vivid violet and red in the scope of the sun's light.

Finn inhaled deeply, releasing his knees from his arms, and lifted himself up from the tree branch he had seated himself on. He brushed off some dirt and a few leaves he contracted on the climb to the spot he gazed the sunset on. He turned and reached for a set of wooden planks, nailed to become a makeshift ladder on the side of the tree.

_**She's got you high…**_

The candy princess was still the focus of his mind as he climbed the wooden planks to a window of the tree house. He was unsure of the princess's opinion of him, whether he was just a little kid to her or a source of romantic admiration. The evidence was clearly leaning towards the former of the two, but like the stubborn kid he was, Finn would rather believe that Bubblegum had some sort of romantic feeling for him, even if just marginal.

'Maybe I should ask her about it tomorrow…' Finn thought, entering the tree fort.

_**What's this about? I figured love would shine through.**_

_**(Sheeeeee's got you high…)**_

_**We've lost romance this world has turned so see through.**_

He made his way past the rooms and hallways, as well as Jake fixing up some tea in the kitchen. Finn didn't say anything and stayed out of the sight of his friend, not wishing to engage in conversation and would rather head straight for the bedroom. The earlier he was to rise the next morning, the quicker he'll find out the answer to the irritating question plaguing him.

'Bubblegum…I like you a lot…and, I want you to know it…' he thought as he opened a drawer holding his pajamas.

_**Open your mind, believe it's going to come to.**_

_**(Sheeeee's got you high…)**_

_**Keep romance alive and hope she's going to tell you.**_

As Finn exchanged his normal clothes for his pajamas, he pondered what he would say to the princess the next day. Should he be straight forward and ask her directly or draw the subject to the matter that pestered him? Either way, he was determined to find out the answer, even if it made things awkward between him and Bubblegum. It was rather bold of Finn to confront his crush in such a way, but the problem made him anxious and he was just dying to find out the truth.

Maybe because it scared him so how doubtful he was of the nature of their relationship and how it was, if at all, progressing to one of romance. The subject gnawed at his conscious and, as a result of curiosity and fear, he had to figure out if things really weren't the way they seemed between him and the princess. He really wanted to know if the princess liked him or not. Finn wasn't afraid of what the answer might be, he was afraid of that status of their friendship after the question would be asked. Would they still be friends? Would they become lovers? Would their friendship sour? There was no telling what the future held for them.

_**She's got you high!**_

Finn sighed as he tugged his sleeping bag and flapped it in the air, ridding it of any unsightly material it may have contracted during the day. A few green worms tumbled out of the bag and rushed to wiggle their way off of the mattress, but Finn ignored them as he climbed his bed and settled himself within his nest.

There was no use thinking any further of the subject as he would figure it out the next day. Finn sighed and closed his eyes, meditating on clearing his mind to ease into sleep. Soon, the stress of the questions receded and Finn fell into a slumber, calmly resting in preparation of the following day.

Tomorrow, he would find out the answer to his questions. It would be the best day of his life, or the worst. There was no way to tell.

**End of Chapter 1**

Yes, it's a song fic. I've little experience with song fics, actually. It doesn't help that all of these chapters are song fics. Oh well, she loved the story anyway. (:

Review if you want me to update quickly!

Song used: **She's Got You High** by Mumm-Ra


	2. Morning talk

Alright guys, here's chapter two for you to read! Keep reviewing, and I'll update sooner than this.

I'm afraid that this chapter will have some tense emotions. It's only the second chapter, but things will pick up by the fourth chapter.

…

_The power of time is an incredible force._

_It can affect people as much as they can affect each other._

**Chapter 2 – **Morning Talk

"Oh! Good morning Finn. I wasn't expecting to see you so early."

Finn had announced himself with a greeting and a tap on the sugary walls, standing in the doorway as Bubblegum sat in the small dining room, enjoying a bowl of cereal to herself.

"Uh, heh. Yeah, well, you know me, heheh…" Finn slowly spoke, laughing off his anxiety as he walked into the room.

_**Never been so eager.**_

_**Not to this extent.**_

"I'm almost done with my breakfast," she said to him, dipping her spoon into the milk, "But feel free to help yourself to some cereal, if you want."

Finn freely pulled a chair and seated himself at the table, opposite of the princess as she took a spoonful of sweet cereal into her mouth. Finn looked to the brand of cereal she was eating on the box, minding its own business on the table, and observed the contents. For a breakfast item, the cereal was very sugar packed, loaded with contents such as chocolate oats, marshmallow pieces, frosted pieces of wheat, and honey flakes. The brand was a sugar rush waiting to happen, but this questionable diet was what sustained the candy people of the kingdom. It just wasn't his cup of tea.

"Um, no thanks. I had some juice before I came here," Finn lied.

"Oh, okay then."

_**Can't imagine leaving.**_

_**I'm comfortably obsessed.**_

The princess proceeded to pick up the bowl and drain the contents into her mouth, Finn watched as he thought to himself about what to say.

"Um…princess?" he modestly asked.

_**It seems misleading,**_

_**Such a far outstretch**_

She placed the bowl down and swallowed the rest of the milk, "Yes?"

Finn scratched his cheek, turning shy to the thoughts in his head.

_**But I mean every word I say.**_

"I…I just want to know…" he was beginning to quiver, "…is there…anyone you like?"

Bubblegum blinked, "Pardon?"

_**When you slow down**_

_**All the details spill out.**_

"I mean, is…is there anyone you like? Like, really like. Like, 'like' like."

Bubblegum stared at the boy for a while, noting how silly Finn sounded.

_**It's no accident how you**_

_**Fell right into my arms.**_

She chuckled, 'Here we go,' she thought.

"Well, maybe," she answered playfully, propping her elbows on the table.

_**It's no accident how you**_

_**Fell right into my arms.**_

Finn gulped.

"…do you think…maybe, this guy likes you two?"

_**I have been preparing,**_

_**Preparing for this day.**_

Bubblegum smiled.

"Because, I think he does too," Finn looked downward as he said this, avoiding the eyes of the princess.

_**Can't imagine sleeping**_

_**Just eagerly await.**_

She chuckled again, "I've been getting that idea. He's not good at hiding his feelings."

_**It seems misleading**_

_**Such a far outstretch**_

Finn said nothing as he twiddled his fingers together, sweat sneaking by on his forehead as his heartbeat grew louder. He knew that Bubblegum was teasing him with these not so vague answers, playing along with his questions conspicuously referring to himself.

_**But I mean every word I say.**_

It was just like Finn had hoped, that maybe the princess did like him back. But he had to figure out the exact status of their relationship as to whether he was more like a brother to her or if she would be willing to engage with him romantically. The fact that she was just teasing with him sailed over his head as he thought about another question.

_**When you slow down**_

_**All the details spill out.**_

"…really?" he asked, "Well, it's just that…Bubblegum?"

"Yes?" she asked, placing her hand on her cheek.

_**It's no accident how you**_

_**Fell right into my arms**_

"…if two people like each other, but they're too shy to admit it, what would it take for the two to hook up?"

Bubblegum frowned oddly, as if she was thinking about his question not for an answer to it, but how it analogized to the relationship between her and Finn. She knew Finn had a crush on her, but did he really think she liked him that much as well? It's just a crush, after all.

_**It's no accident how you**_

_**Fell right into my arms**_

Still, she figured she had to answer the question. She would address that subject later.

"Well, a relationship like that wouldn't go anywhere, unless they were friends first," Bubblegum said.

_**Leave with me**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**now, forever again.**_

"Y-yeah, they are friends…" Finn pointed out.

"Well, if that's the case, then it would be very likely for the two to hook up quite soon. But if they're that shy, all it'll take is for one of them to admit their feelings to the other, even just a few words will do."

_**Leave with me**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**now, forever again.**_

Finn shifted his legs, as if moving them would make him feel more comfortable even though it wouldn't, and looked further downward, away from the stare of the princess. His heart began to race as he formulated the exact sentence he wanted to say to Bubblegum.

"…well, if that's all it takes…then…"

…_**again.**_

Bubblegum frowned. She could feel what Finn was feeling and what he was going to say. What made her sad was that she didn't share the feelings Finn thinks she has. This would only end in disappointment to the boy and she didn't want to make him sad. She had to make him understand.

"…Bubblegum…I-"

"Let me stop you there, Finn."

Finn looked up at her, confused. This was something he did not expect to happen, but he didn't know what she was going to say. This would be either good or bad, if she was going to deny or accept his feelings.

"Finn, I know what you're going to say…"

Finn would swell with happiness in anticipation, but the sad look on the princess's face made him uneasy.

"…and I have to say I'm sorry, but it's not what you think."

Finn felt a swelling of coldness in his body.

"…what?"

_**Something tells me…**_

"Finn, I like you, of course I do, but if you were going to confess your love, then I'm afraid I'll have to turn down your feelings."

"But…don't you like me?" he asked.

"Of course I do, but not romantically," Bubblegum reclined on her chair, "See, I see you more as a little brother that I never had rather than a love interest."

"…" Finn's head slowly descended downward. That was exactly what Finn thought she would say, if she didn't return his feelings.

_**I am losing self-control…**_

"And also," she continued, "I know you love me, I do. But I also know it's just a romantic attraction you have for me. A crush, if you will, and not a serious love feeling."

"…but, I do have these feelings for you…"

Bubblegum shook her head, "No you don't. You look up to me like an admirer or an idol. That's what a crush means, Finn."

_**But you're the only one who…**_

Finn's face grimaced in disappointment. His feelings were crushed by the girl he loved, and he felt bad about even bringing it up. He had such high hopes that maybe the princess liked him too, but no. The feelings weren't mutual and instead rather tame, if anything, it was more like a sibling love. But Finn hoped it would be more than that. Finn hoped he meant more to her than she let on…

…_**one who needs to know.**_

Bubblegum could see the depression Finn was going through and that was exactly what she didn't want to happen. She had to make him understand why things had to be the way they were between them.

Guilt taking over, she stood up as she sighed and walked towards Finn. He didn't notice her until her shadow casted under his aimless stare. He looked up to see the beseeching face of Bubblegum, one hand wrapped around her other elbow.

_**Leave with me**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**now, forever again.**_

"Look Finn," she started, "I like you like a brother. You're cute, silly, and so childish. But what you're feeling for me is just a simple crush. It's something that never goes anywhere and it's not the same as real love. You're only a kid and it's just a crush, and I know you feel sad that I don't have the same feelings for you. But I'm older than you and you're better off with someone else of your age. And besides, this crush of yours will wear off over time and you'll move on to other love interests. And if we did hook up before the crush wears off, where would we be then?"

_**Leave with me**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**now, forever again.**_

Finn looked downward, thinking about what Bubblegum was saying.

"We can still be friends, don't worry," Bubblegum said as she placed a hand on Finn's shoulder. Finn reacted and looked back to Bubblegum with a pitiable face, "I'd rather be a big sister to you, honestly, if only because you're so adorable."

_**Oh, leave with me!**_

_**Leave with me!**_

_**Leave with me!**_

_**Leave with me!**_

_**Leave with me**_

_**now, forever again!**_

She kneeled down and placed a kiss on the boy's forehead. Finn blushed again, but not as much to the knowledge that it wasn't a romantic peck. She pulled back and looked to Finn, his eyes notably less sadder than he was moments ago.

"…but…" he started, "…is there any chance between us?"

_**Leave with me!**_

_**Leave with me!**_

_**Leave with me!**_

_**Leave with me!**_

_**Leave with me…**_

Bubblegum could feel the desperation in his voice and his question. She didn't want to acknowledge it, as it was a side effect of love, but she had to answer to the best of her honesty. She hummed for a bit before answering.

"Well, you'd have to look inside of yourself for that answer," she replied, "If you can prove to yourself that your affections for me are more than just a crush, then there might be a chance between us."

Finn looked down solemnly, thinking about his emotions towards Bubblegum. Being smarter than him, he knew that what she said made sense. Maybe it was just a childish crush after all, maybe he didn't really love Bubblegum like he thought he did. Maybe, just maybe…

"So, do you feel any better, Finn?" she asked, "I don't want you to be sad like this. I know you, and you're stronger than this. Toughen up for me, please?"

She shook his shoulder in emphasis at the question. Finn looked into Bubblegum's face, worried about his emotional condition brought on by her. She seemed very beckoning to him with a sad smile as if to say 'I'm sorry don't be sad'. Finn liked it when she had such emotions, she was cute like that, and he couldn't resist her gesture.

Finn smiled weakly. It was small, but it was still a smile.

"…okay," he said.

Bubblegum sighed happily. "Good. I couldn't bear to see you depressed like that. That's not the Finn I know."

Finn's smile grew from that line. "Yeah, I guess I should know better."

Bubblegum giggled, "I'm glad you understand, then."

She patted his shoulder twice before removing it.

"I trust you to let yourself out when you're done here. I had something planned to do after breakfast," she said.

"Alright, will do," he replied.

Bubblegum turned around and exited through the doorway, but not before she turned back to Finn and spoke.

"But just so you know, I sort of did have a crush on you when we first met," she said, "but I disregarded that for reasons I've explained to you."

Finn watched Bubblegum with an astonished expression as she left his sight into the halls of her palace. He was confused as to why she would say such a thing to him, even after she rejected him like that. Was she just teasing him again? It didn't make sense.

Maybe it was her way of sympathizing with Finn as she admitted to crushing on him when they met. If that was the case, then it means she understands Finn's feelings almost as well as he did, considering she talked herself out of the crush.

But now he felt stupid, if only that if he had confessed himself to her much earlier, then there was a nearly definite chance that they could've hooked up. He could have done much more if only he had known. They could've been happy…could they?

As Finn thought about it, he realized just how right Bubblegum was. It would be a relationship based on a crush and not true love, like she said. Only if the feelings were true would their relationship have had any strong ground and, most importantly, happiness.

But that was then, and this is now. Finn's crush had been magnified over time while her crush wore off with it. But with time, their friendship had grown much stronger without the influence of love. Maybe Finn was just confusing friendship with love. If he didn't have the crush, they'd still be simple friends.

As Finn looked into his mind and asked himself several questions, two stood out to him. Were his feelings for her true? Or was it really just a simple crush?

**End of Chapter 2**

Bubblegum is such a tease. So what is Finn going to do now? Does he pursue his emotions, or abandon them entirely? Find out in the next chapter! And don't forget to review!

Song used – **Accident Prone** by Honorary Title


	3. One Last Escapade

Here's chapter three, everybody. Be warned, though. This is the longest chapter of the story and the most action packed of them.

…

_The power of time is an incredible force._

_It has the power to grow or shrink anything, increase or decrease, give more or take away…_

**Chapter 3 – **One Last Escapade

Finn sat alone, resting his head against the tree bark with his legs sprawled across the grass. He lay there in the cool shadow of the tree as the sun mercilessly heated the park with its anger. He stared at the motionless leaves of the canopy, happily achieving photosynthesis while they ignored the wrath of summer. The leaves let slip through tiny rays of the sun through the shield of the canopy, leaving even the shaded air itself at the mercy of the sun's heat. Finn would rather be at home than suffer in the hot air of summer, but his friend Jake was still at the fort and Finn wanted to be alone to think to himself. He did not want to be bothered by petty things or trivial questions from his companion so he stayed here, under a tree, yards away from the border of the Candy Kingdom, to sort out his thoughts.

He had been there since morning. He was thinking about what Bubblegum said.

'_If you can prove to yourself that your affections for me are more than just a crush, then there may be a chance between us,'_ he remembered.

_**Something in the way she moves…**_

Finn took it as a second chance for him to prove himself to the princess. That, and the fact that she admitted to having a crush on him before, practically reignited the hopeful feeling in him that the two of them could be together. It was difficult to swat away the idea of hope now, as all he had to do was review the facts in his head and explain himself to Bubblegum that he loved her more than a crush allowed him to.

He'd be doing that right now, if he didn't feel so…gloomy.

"…Bubblegum…"

_**Attracts me like no other lover.**_

He stared solemnly at the breaks of light through the leaves of the tree, watching time ebb away as nothingness lingered in the scope of his mind. He tried to manifest an image in his head or some sort of idea, or anything at all, but any concept or thought he'd conjure would simply fade away or die, worn down by Finn's depression. The only figment of his intelligence left in the void of his mind was the words of Bubblegum echoing in the walls of his head. They had such a dramatic effect on him that Finn was prompted to think more than he ever had. He had been sitting there since he left Bubblegum's castle, thinking to himself, and just that, thinking, not an action extra. The hard truth he had foolishly upheld left him a blank feeling in his mind and his heart. For the first time in his life, Finn had never felt so…

…

…empty.

_**Something in the way she woos me.**_

"…do I really love her…?" he whispered into the air.

He thought back to the day he first met her. They were exploring the Candy Kingdom a few days after moving into their tree fort. The candy people were nice and subtly asked not to be eaten as the two took in the sights of the town and the variety of sweets decorating the suburbs. It wasn't until noon that it was announced that the princess would be at the town square to address issues with the kingdom's laws and junk.

_**I don't want to leave her now…**_

He remembered walking into the town square and looking for the princess they spoke of. He expected her to be some sort of mutation or amalgamation of candy treats, but he did not expect her to be humanoid and had one candy, bubblegum, as a motif. He remembered her sweet angelic voice ringing while she spoke into the microphone, the way she playfully announced good news with a wink and a smile, and how cute she looked standing at the podium, clapping her hands in delight when the audience spawned a positive reaction. When he was given the chance to meet her, he stuttered and hesitated but Jake eventually coaxed him into it.

_**You know I believe and how.**_

He remembered how astonished she was to see a human boy like him before her eyes. He remembered the way she took his hands and examined them, and noted how similar their hands were. He remembered how she began pinching and pressing his face, opening his mouth to observe his teeth. Things got a little uncomfortable when she tried to remove his hat, but Finn rejected her and she apologized for being rude. Then the proper introductions followed.

'_My name is Princess Bubblegum. It's so nice to see you,'_ she said.

Oh how sweet her voice was…

_**Somewhere in her smile she knows…**_

He liked how she asked him questions like what he ate, what his powers were, and were he came from. He answered, to the last one, how he was raised by Jake's parents and how he hadn't met any other humans. The conversation eventually resulted in Finn realizing he may be the last human on Earth and became saddened by it, until Bubblegum apologized for bringing it up and telling him not to lose hope, as she was half human as well.

It was right then that Finn felt something…magnetic…about her. The way she smiled, the way she laughed, how pretty she was, Finn found it intoxicating.

_**That I don't need no other lover.**_

And yet, she turned him down…

"…so, what's the difference…between a crush…and love…?" Finn asked himself.

Finn continued to think to himself, just like he did since morning, as he evaluated his feelings in light of Bubblegum's words.

_**Something in her style that shows me.**_

He had yet to notice a walking strawberry partially coated in chocolate sauce running towards him.

"Finn! Finn!" she shouted in a French accent, "The princess haz bin kidnapped again!"

_**I don't want to leave her now…**_

Finn didn't seem to notice the candy person's plea. Fearfully curious, the strawberry spoke again.

"Finn!" she shouted.

Finn perked up at the sound of his name being called out.

The strawberry pointed to the sky, "Bubblegum haz bin kidnapped again!"

_**You know I believe and how.**_

Turning his head and focusing his eyes in the direction of the strawberry's hand, he could make out the figure of a blue being with something pink in his arm. Finn's eyebrows furrowed in irritation. He instantly recognized what it was.

The nothingness in his body was replaced with enraged annoyance, the thoughts in his head rearranged to a single objective, and Finn lifted himself off of the tree trunk as reached for his sword in his backpack. Gripping the hilt, he unsheathed the blade and let it hang by the side of him as he stared down the blue dot sailing to the Ice Kingdom.

"Don't worry, Chocoberry," Finn said rather darkly, "He's not getting away with it."

Chocoberry seemed to brighten up at this, until she realized that a certain friend wasn't around with Finn.

"Wait, where's Jake?" she asked, looking around the scenery for the yellow dog.

Finn ignored her for that he had only one thing on his mind; to save the princess once again. Filled with energy of unknown origin, the boy dashed off into the direction of the Ice Kingdom, golden blade dancing in his hand with each hasty step he made. He braved the summer heat of the sun as he ran further away from the Candy Kingdom, a confused candy person watching him as he ran.

"But Finn, what about Jake…?" she said to no one, the boy shrinking in perspective along the landscape.

_**You're asking me will my love grow?**_

Finn had never been more serious than now to fight the Ice King. It was a feeling of devotion that sprung from nowhere upon hearing the news about the princess's kidnapping. Finn was determined to reach the Ice Kingdom and infiltrate the Ice Palace to rescue Bubblegum, and he didn't care if he was without the aid of his magic dog friend. There was simply no time, he thought, to go fetch Jake and trek to the Ice Kingdom.

But what his cause anyway? Why did he care to save Bubblegum anymore after the way she denied his feelings? Sure, he was still a hero and he had to save her, but he was instigating much more emphasis than necessary to the rescue. He could afford the time to run back to the tree fort and ride his dog to the Ice Kingdom and, most importantly, make the impending fight with the Ice King much easier. So why was he making it harder than he needed it to be by rushing straight for the Ice Kingdom?

'Because I want to,' he thought to himself.

_**I don't knooooow, IIIIII don't know.**_

There was always something worth it about saving the princess every time she was kidnapped by the Ice King, perhaps it was her gracious hug swamping him in her scent, or her relieved cry every time he broke into the palace. But what really drove him on was the way she smiled whenever she said 'Thank you, Finn' while he helped her out of the domain. Seeing that cute smile, hearing her bubbly laughter, knowing she was safe thanks to him, and knowing he'd see all of that again the next day was what made it worth risking his life in battle against the Ice King.

As Finn ran, he could see the snowy landscape of the Ice Kingdom closing in, the kingdom itself sporting some notable changes due to the summer weather. Much of its snow had disappeared and previously frozen lakes had melted away into large pools of water. The Snow Golems native to the domain had shrunken to less than half of their size and other wildlife made of ice where nowhere to be seen. The snowy caps of the mountains had disappeared over the course of several weeks while the frozen mountains themselves revealed their earthy flesh underneath their ice skin. Not only that, several glaciers were falling apart, as sound made the mountains much more susceptible to avalanches from loose ice. The kingdom, to the poetic eye, felt weaker from the wrath of summer as it was at the mercy of the sun for the past month or so.

He could see the line between flush grass and white snow closing in on him, he knew he was getting closer to his destination. As close as he could run to the border of clashing climates, he leapt off of the grass, aiming to sail as far as possible without touching the snow, fueled by an unknown agenda in his head. He leapt a good distance before his foot met the snow, and it was then that he learned that snow felt different in the summer than in any other time of the year. The normally soft snow swallowed his foot is a slushy gulp, halting his running momentum and delivering a chilly grip onto his leg. Finn could feel the dirt under the snow as he stumbled and fell, his limbs also becoming smothered by the melting snow. He let out a shiver under his breath as he attempted to recollect his bearings, trying to regain a foot hold on the weak snow. He shifted his legs as he made another step, the snow folded and took Finn's foot deep under the white blanket. Finn then knew that it would be difficult trying to trek the Ice Kingdom without Jake's help, or proper gear for that matter, but Finn knocked away the thought in his head as the only thing he wanted to focus on was rescuing Bubblegum, even if it meant enduring the trials of the icy landscape for her sake.

_**You stick around now, it may show…**_

As Finn slowly slugged his way across the snow, he thought back to Bubblegum, and why he was doing this for her. He liked the way she got all excited about a science experiment and how it manages to succeed without going horribly wrong. He always stood by incase it was a sentient being and it grew out of control as a result of the experiment, and such a thing only happened twice. She got better at science since then. He also admired her ambition to learn and her understanding of complicated physics that would otherwise makes his own head implode seconds in on attempting to comprehend them. It was a sort of envy to him that she knew so much and he didn't, but what she had over him was her ambition to understand and her desire to know, and that made him realize how human she was compared to the candy people, and he loved her for it.

_**I don't knooooow, IIIIIII don't know…**_

Finn had blindly scaled hills and cliffs while he thought about the princess. No arctic animal or ice monster hindered his progress, as the residents would rather deal with the summer heat than a lone boy. It was a matter of time before he found himself at the foot of the Ice King's palace, staring up at the blue walls of the tower, aiming his stare at the open window shaped like a cartoon face. His only thoughts were 'I'll save you Bubblegum,' until it occurred to him the question of scaling the icy walls. He had no mountain climbing gear to use or any claw gloves. He'd usually use his dog to elevate them into the Ice King's home, but without either convenience at his leisure, he had to think of another way to infiltrate the palace. All he had was his sword.

Finn looked to his golden blade in his hand, dirty and scratched and worn out from many battles without maintenance, and looked back to the walls before him. He smiled as he thought of a silly idea and gripped his sword tightly. He directed strength into both arms and swung into the walls, cleaving a ledge into the ice softened by the sun. He made another slash into the wall above the first scar, with less strength to test the hardness of the ice. Placing a hand and foot on the marks, Finn swung the blade above him again, creating another scar into the weak ice of the palace. Slash and climb, slash and climb. He repeated this process, creating a makeshift ladder from the scars and was ascending higher and higher, getting closer to the window of the Ice King's home. Soon, the boy would battle the blue king himself, and he'd rescue Bubblegum like he did every week. It was a routinely typical thing now, but Finn was serious every time he engaged in the escapade.

Finn slashed into the ice once more, but felt resistance as his blade sunk into the wall and ceased from there. He mumbled an annoyed grunt, uttering a word Jake would discipline him for saying. He released his hold on the sword, still stuck in the ice, and gripped it in a better position for what he was about to do. With all of his might, Finn pushed the blade to the left like a lever, slicing through the harder levels of ice. He removed his blade and was about to climb further, but the sound of crackling ice didn't stop as Finn looked for the source of the sound. He saw, to his dismay, that several strands of cracked lines were running upward, breaking apart more and more ice as pebbles spilled downward the face of the mountain. Finn didn't have much time to think as the ice wall collapsed into an avalanche, ice boulders heading in his direction.

'No! Not here!' he thought.

Thinking quickly, Finn looked to the left and leapt with as much leg power as he could. He held his sword with two hands, raised upward, and stabbed the untouched ice wall in a slanted swing so that the blade would support him. He prayed that he jumped with enough distance to evade the ice fall, eyes shut as to brace any figment of pain in the case that he couldn't dodge the avalanche. The sound of tumbling ice echoed throughout the kingdom, ending when the glacier stones met the ground below it. Finn slowly opened his eyes to see himself unharmed from the falling ice rocks. He looked to where the glacier pieces fell from and saw a rocky face where his path used to be. The trek up would be much easier now as Finn could abuse the ledges to climb the rest of the palace. With a swing and a dislodging of his blade, Finn landed on the now lumpy ice wall, returning to his objective of saving the princess.

Finn ignored the freezing feeling that pained his fingers, as he had much more important things to worry about. He finally reached the window sill of the Ice King's abode and overheard some talking between him and the princess.

"…have to do is answer my question, that's all," the Ice King said.

Finn climbed through the window as calmly as he could. One leg over the sill after another, his feet landed in enemy territory as he stared at the Ice King. His back was turned to Finn as the boy walked towards the king by making as little noise as he cared to make. The princess was in a cage made of ice, separating her and the ice powered man, and she caught sight of the boy behind the king, filled with joy at his appearance.

"Finn!" she let out.

The Ice King was oblivious to Finn's presence as he took it as an answer to his previous question.

"No! I asked for your favorite place to visit! That question had nothing to do with that irritable boy you call a hero!"

Bubblegum was about say more, but she stopped herself when she noticed that Finn was acting differently. She could see something hateful in his eyes and the way he calmly walked, dragging his golden blade across the icy floor, as if he was out for blood. It was a scary sight to her as she had never seen this side of him before. She knew Finn wasn't a person you'd want to cross, but now that she was seeing for herself the hidden rage he was brimming with, she wasn't sure what to expect, except for a bloody outcome.

And worst of all, she knew the talk she had with him that morning was the cause of this. And for this reason, she felt unsafe.

The Ice King's ear caught sound of the blade being dragged on the ice before Finn lifted it up and grabbed it with both hands. He raised it, pointed at the monarch, and dashed towards him with the intent of murder. The king turned around in time to see the boy lunging at him that he was able to create a shield of ice from his magic. The blade penetrated through the frigid magic for that it was not completed in time. The sword, however, failed to pierce the king's flesh as he backed away just in time before the blade reached him. Finn wasted no time and pulled his sword away to let fly another swing at the Ice King. His opponent, not used to a head on unannounced assault like this, backed to the right before Finn swung his sword at him. The blade collided with a bar of ice on the princess's cell, the princess backed away with a yelp in surprise of the attack. Finn didn't pay any attention to her as he turned to face the Ice King.

"How dare you sneak up on-" the king wasn't able to finish his sentence as Finn lunged at him again with another swipe of his blade. The Ice King narrowly dodged it this time, losing only a few strands of his beard's hair. This only enraged the king.

"HOW DARE YOU-" but he was interrupted again when Finn attempted to attack with an overhead swing. The Ice King caught the sword with hands encased in ice so as to absorb the blow of the blade, but Finn was quick to retract and attack again. The Ice King wanted to commence with a villainous monologue, but every time he tried to speak, the boy just kept cutting him midsentence and attack. The king barely dodged his attacks as the two stepped around the room, the blue man trying to keep distance between himself and Finn. It took the king a while to realize that Finn was assaulting him out of rage and wouldn't give him a chance to counter or even speak.

"HOLD ON A MINUTE!" he shouted, zapping Finn's feet with his ice magic.

It was successful in stopping Finn from advancing any closer. Finn struggled to move his feet out of the ice, unable to move his legs and was at the mercy of the Ice King. Being hit by the Ice King's magic was a huge disadvantage because it basically crippled either Finn or Jake during the rescue. So it was of top priority that they were not hit at all by the king's magic. Finn was now at the mercy of the Ice King and unfortunately, the monarch didn't have a lot of it. Thankfully, the Ice King, instead of freezing the boy and chucking him out the window, rather preferred speaking to boy for the sake of his own curiosity.

"Now, what's with all this aggression all of a sudden?" the king asked.

"…I just want to save Bubblegum, that's all," he answered as he gripped his sword and looked to his frozen feet.

"But aren't you overdoing the fighting part of the rescue?" he asked, "Seriously, I could've been traumatically hurt, back there."

"It wouldn't matter! You'd be dead, for all I care!"

Finn gripped the sword and began to chip away at the ice clutching his feet. The king was taken aback by his antiheroic statement as Finn had never explicitly said he ever wanted to kill him. All he cared about was saving the princess, and he knew that. It almost scared him how serious Finn was taking this.

"But…a hero doesn't kill," the Ice King said, scratching the back of his head in confusion, "Geez, Finn. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed or something?"

Bubblegum, who had been trying to pry apart the broken bars of her cell but stopped at the sound of his words, meekly tapped the ice in modesty.

"Uh…I…might've something to do with it…" she said.

The Ice King looked at the princess curiously, "What, did you two sleep in the same bed or something?"

Bubblegum was about to shoot back a retort in reflex to the king's misunderstanding of comprehension, but Finn had managed to weaken the ice encasing his feet, enabling him to break through its bounds and attack the Ice King again. The blue monarch reacted quick enough to reengage in combat, this time more prepared to deal with the rage induced boy.

"Your wrath will be your downfall, boy!" he said as he parried a sword swing, "The princess will never have you!"

_**Something in the way she knows…**_

"What do you know about her?" he shot back as he blocked an ice bolt with his blade, which bounced off and froze a section of the ceiling, "You don't like her like I do!"

"You're one to talk!" the Ice King retorted, casting a block of ice over the boy's head who evaded the falling object, "You're just a kid! The princess wouldn't ever return your feelings!"

"So maybe she won't love me like I love her," Finn said, Bubblegum now directing her attention from escaping to Finn's declaration of love, "But I'll always be there for her, ready to sacrifice myself for her sake. I won't stand for your false love either!"

"It's not false!" the king shouted as he shot two ice bolts at Finn.

_**And all I have to do is think of her.**_

Finn fearlessly dashed into the path of the bolts. He ducked and used the traction of the ice floor to slide under the casted magic and towards the king. Not expecting this move, the Ice King ducked backwards, evading the blade as it sunk into the ice wall behind him.

"Oh really?" Finn said in a dark manner, not removing his blade from where it sat, "Has she ever shared with you her hopes and dreams?"

Bubblegum knew what Finn was talking about. She remembered the one night where she and Finn spent their time gazing at the starry sky through a telescope, teaching the boy about the wonders of space. She inadvertently told him about how she wanted to major in astrology but her status as a princess kept her from finding the right college to accept her. Finn reassured her how she'd do it by herself because she was smart like that, and commented how she'd do it all without the aid of a degree. Of course, she told him the necessity of the degree and how badly she wanted one, but when Finn said how she'd be better off going to outer space to see for herself, it was then that she reconsidered her career from majoring in astronomy to becoming an astronaut. Because of Finn.

No one ever believed she could be an astronaut.

_**Something in the things she shows me.**_

"Have you ever been there for her when she needed you the most?" Finn continued to ask.

Bubblegum recalled the day Rainicorn had been bitten by a venomous spider snake and how she stood by her bedside while the rainbow horse writhed in pain from the venom. She had been there the whole day, with Finn and Jake there to comfort her as she wept. Jake was worried, of course, but this was before he and Rainicorn became a couple. Bubblegum wanted to try and concoct an antidote to the venom, but she didn't know enough about medicine to even try to make a cure. She worried she'd do more harm than good. But when Finn discovered this, he beckoned her to try anyway because the two were friends. Bubblegum denied at first, for the safety of Rainicorn, but when Finn said how terrible she'd feel if Rainicorn died and she didn't even try, she gathered up her courage and tried to create an antidote anyway. With a blood sample from the rainbow horse, she created an antidote as well as a vaccine and hesitantly injected her loyal pet with it.

If it weren't for Finn's encouragement, Rainicorn would've died the next day.

_**I don't want to leave her now…**_

"Have you ever put yourself in danger for her?"

She remembered very well that special day he was referencing. On her birthday party, everyone she had invited was there, except for Finn and Jake, who had yet to arrive for most of the night. She was worried that they wouldn't have shown up or even forgot all about the party. Just when she had given up hope and wanted to open the presents, the two busted the door open, sporting several scars and beatings they had gotten from some unknown adventure. In Finn's hands was a present, poorly wrapped and taped together. Finn and Jake had barely any strength to even walk into the room, so several candy people helped them out while Bubblegum took the present Finn had. She remembered how Finn looked up at her and smiled weakly, saying 'It…wasn't easy to get…'. When she unwrapped it, with difficulty because of how tight the tape was binding it, it turned out to be the legendary Book of Asclepius, a book said to hold the cures for almost all of the world's illnesses.

It was this same book where she found the cure to the frostbite her kingdom suffered when the Ice King tried to simulate snowfall for her.

_**You know I believe and how.**_

"Have you? Huh?" Finn shouted.

The Ice King felt he had endured enough scolding and delivered a hard punch to Finn's ribs. Finn reeled back, sword undone from the wall, as the king stood back up normally.

"I don't need you to mentor me in love. Haven't you ever heard of something called 'love at first sight'?" he taunted.

Finn hatefully stared down the king in response to this.

"Yeah, I have. It's called a crush!"

Bubblegum felt that those words were directed at her. And they hit the mark, right at her heart.

"And a love like that…" Finn continued to speak, "…has no grounds…in a solid relationship!"

Now that Bubblegum was hearing Finn say these things, she felt something different about him. He didn't look so childish anymore. He looked more like a bold hero, an adamant adventurer, and an impressive boy who braved the dangers for her, and would always be there for her.

It was…strange, she felt. She was somehow reminded of the first time Finn saved her from the Ice King.

"I'm through debating these things with you!" the king shouted as his hands beamed with magic, "I will kill you here and now and Bubblegum will be my bride!"

"Just try it," Finn challenged.

Without hesitation, the Ice King shot an ice bolt at Finn. The boy easily saw this coming and rolled to his right, dodging the magic. Finn then through his sword at the ceiling, angled oddly under the king. The sword sunk into the ice with a satisfying slash, distracting the blue monarch for a bit as he eyed the sword oddly. Finn took his chance and ran towards the cold man, the king returning his attention to the boy. Firing a quick bolt at the naïve adventurer, Finn evaded the bolt with a timely dodge, firmly positioned to dodge another ice bolt as he anticipated. The Ice King, wanting to keep the boy away, fired another ice bolt at Finn, just as he predicted. Finn rolled out of the aim of the frigid lightning, crouching in preparation to dodge another attack. And attack the king did as he fired one more ice bolt in the way of the human boy. This time, Finn leapt out of the way of the attack, more concerned about delivering a blow to the man to make the plan in his head work. The king was unable to parry the impending kick as his face met the hard soles of Finn's shoes. The boy acquired momentum from the kick and focused his strength into his leg, springing backwards away from the blue man. The king reeled backwards and fell as Finn reached for his sword still planted firmly in the ceiling. With both hands gripped on the blade, he pulled the sword in a lever motion with as much force as he could.

The sword violently disrupted the ice around it as it was removed, causing ominous crackles to scatter through the ceiling. When Finn landed, he watched as the ceiling, knowing the palace was weakened by the summer heat, began to crumble and fold under its own pressure. The Ice King shook his head and recollected himself just in time to see the dramatic collapse of his ceiling fall before him. He shielded himself with one arm as the glacier pieces fell onto the floor. But Finn knew better.

He knew that this avalanche of ice would fail to strike the Ice King if it fell on him. It was merely a distraction for Finn to wind up his final attack. Not waiting for the avalanche to finish, Finn focused his strength into his legs and leapt over the ice fall, sword tightly gripped in his hands to brace his arms for the blow. He could see the king cowardly shielding himself with one arm and pointed his blade at him. The Ice King curiously lowered his arm in time to see Finn sailing over the ice fall, sword brandished before him, about to strike the finishing blow.

The Ice King could not block in time.

SHINK!

Finn panted harshly as he felt the satisfying feeling of his blade entering his target. Bubblegum had her hands covering her mouth in fear of the outcome of the duel and Finn's unrighteous deed. The Ice King shivered not with cold but with fear as he stared into the dark eyes of his opponent. Finn heaved until he inhaled deeply, then exhaled as he removed his blade from the king's crown. Dramatically, the crown split into two pieces and fell with a metal sound, the only sound that echoed in the palace at that moment. The king, regaining his bearings, looked back and forth between the split pieces of his crown, the source of his powers. In a panicked gasp, the king picked up the right half of his crown near him and crawled to the other half a distance away.

"No…my crown…" he sniffed, "I…I can't be the Ice King anymore…"

Finn had no sympathy for the man as he slowly walked towards him, blade still gripped in his hand. The blue man, turned his head to the overshadowing figure of the boy only to meet the pointed edge of his blade close to his eyes.

"I don't _ever_, and I mean _EVER_, want to see you around Bubblegum again," Finn said darkly.

The two stared at each other for a while before Finn pulled his blade away and walked towards the cell that was holding the princess. The princess backed away from Finn out of fear, but as he got closer, his expression changed from one of hate to one of sorrow. He took a quick sad look at the princess before looking down and striking the ice bars of the prison, shattering them. Bubblegum soon turned worrisome for the boy's emotional condition as she carefully slid through the ice bars and into open space. Finn, still not wanting to meet the princess's eyes, turned around and began walking to the window of the room. Bubblegum hesitantly followed, looking at the king staring mournfully at his broken crown. The Ice King didn't even bother to look up at the two or even tried to stop them from leaving. Without his crown, he was powerless to do anything now. The king had never felt so…empty.

"Uhh…Finn?" Bubblegum asked, careful not to spur any reaction from the boy, "…where's Jake?"

Finn said nothing as he reached the window he entered the palace from. As he looked down the wall he climbed, he quietly responded.

"…I didn't bring him…" he said.

She gasped at this. This meant that Finn had traveled nearly miles to the Ice Kingdom, scaled his palace, defeated and incapacitated the Ice King, all without the help of his friend Jake.

All for her, and her safety.

"…come on, it's a long walk from here…" Finn said.

Bubblegum could feel the sadness Finn was emanating. He was sad because of what he said during the fight were his true feelings. He was sad because he really did love Bubblegum for what she was.

He was sad because he knew Bubblegum wouldn't be able to return these feelings at all.

And that made her feel terrible.

**End of Chapter 3**

Oh my. Now everyone is feeling depressed. Looks like the Ice King is out of commission for good. Will things get better? Find out in the next chapter! And if you want to see the next chapter so badly, then review!

Song used – **Something** – by The Beatles.


	4. Reconciliation

Updating this story has slipped my mind somehow. Apologies!

…

_The power of time is an incredible force._

_It can unite and divide, end and begin, tell what is not yet, and heal all wounds…_

**Chapter 4 – **Reconciliation.

Finn's foot gave off the satisfying sound of snow crunching under his foot. He turned back to the princess, averting his eyes, and held out a hand to her. Bubblegum quietly gripped his hand, astonished at how freezing cold it was from his journey through the Ice Kingdom, and followed Finn down the pile of glacier boulders that fell apart from the ice walls minutes ago. She was careful not to slip or trip on the ice rocks as the sun was causing them to feel damp and melt, but she eventually landed on the slushy snow without incident and Finn backed up to allow her space. Finn was still shy of eye contact as he turned his head back to the path he took, his footprints still visible in the snow, and spoke 'Let's get you home' to the princess. Bubblegum silently obeyed and the two began walking their way out of the Ice Kingdom, keeping their eyes on Finn's tracks as they went.

Bubblegum felt like Finn's emotional condition was her fault entirely, as she knew Finn wouldn't recover from the talk they had that morning. The boy tried to confess his crush to her, but she couldn't have it happen for that it was just a crush and not a real romance. She could see the depression plaguing the boy and she saw past his lie when he said '…okay', but she hoped it would've been resolved on its own. She figured time would've allowed Finn to recover from the heartbreak, but getting kidnapped by the Ice King again was an unexpected turn for the worse. It only deepened Finn's scars and made things worse for those involved, especially Finn.

The only bright side to all of this was that the Ice King lost his powers forever.

Bubblegum was lagging behind as Finn walked on, both of them in deep thought but oblivious to each other's distance. It was only when Bubblegum looked up slightly that she noticed how far behind she was from the young boy. She wanted to speak up in exclamation about the boy waiting for her, but even with his back turned and head hung low, she could feel how much hate Finn was feeling right now, an aimless hate that the Ice King had the misfortune of crossing. Not wanting to anger the boy, she quietly paced herself faster while making as little noise as possible, still modest about being anywhere near Finn. She knew he needed time alone, but because she was there and needed to be escorted back to her kingdom, it would've been better if the two spoke as little as possible and paced their way hastily.

Finn's ears caught the sound of footsteps in the snow stepping in quick succession. He knew they belonged to the princess because the sound wasn't as loud as his own steps. He sighed silently, but not silent enough that Bubblegum heard his dismay through the wind. She directed her eyes away in penitence from the boy's figure as she drew closer, feeling displeasure and sorrow replacing his normally optimistic and childish presence. Silence cursed them, the only noise being made was the sound of snow folding under the weight of their shoes.

Bubblegum had enough. She had to say something.

_**I give her all my love…**_

"Finn-" "Princess, I-"

Finn was about to speak as well, but cut himself when the princess spoke up. Both of them uttered nothing but silence, their trek slowing to a halt so that they could face the inevitable talk.

_**That's all I do.**_

"Finn…I…" Bubblegum wanted to speak first, "…thank you for saving me from the Ice King."

"…" Finn felt a spark of irritancy within him when she said this. He knew she would just congratulate him on the adventure as she usually did, "…you're welcome…"

_**And if you saw my love,**_

Bubblegum could hear the disappointment in his voice. Apparently, that's what he didn't want to hear.

"…Finn, are you still upset about what we talked about this morning?" she asked, "Because, I already told you about how romance based on a crush wouldn't-"

"I'm over that!" Finn shouted, interrupting the princess. Bubblegum was taken aback by his seriousness and his intolerance to trivial matters that were already settled. "It's just…"

_**You'd love her too.**_

"…just what?" she boldly asked.

"…I know…I know what my true feelings are now…" he said, shutting his eyes as water welled up in them, "…and…and I know you will still deny me for what I say…"

_**I love her.**_

"…" Bubblegum was still skeptic about Finn's words, especially since a childhood crush wasn't easy to cure. He could still be speaking from the point of view of his crush for all she knew.

_**She gives me ev'rything,**_

"…I've thought about it…over and over again, Bubblegum. And I realize that…there are a lot of things about you that I like." Finn turned his body to face Bubblegum, his head still hung downwards, "Like, I love how you like science so much, and know all the things that I don't. But what I really like about that is how you're so driven to learn and know about things that no one else understands. You have something that I don't, and I love you for that…"

_**And tenderly…**_

"…Finn…" Bubblegum was at a loss at what to say. She had no idea Finn felt like that about her. And even if there was a hint, she'd just play the crush card on herself and pay no mind to it.

_**The kiss my lover brings…**_

"…" Finn looked up at Bubblegum's face, a stray tear running down his cheek, "…and, I also love how happy you look when you smile, because of a joke I made or when you're just feeling so happy. That's why I risk my life for you every time the Ice King would kidnap you, because I would never be able to sleep knowing I may never see that cute face again. I would do anything to see you smile like that every day for me…I'd brave deadly temples, impossible dungeons, wild quests, and all I'd ask for in return is for you to smile…for me…"

_**She brings to me,**_

Bubblegum listened as Finn spoke, unable to hold back a tear of her own as it fell down her face. What Finn was saying was from his heart in the most honest manner she's ever heard him say, yet, why couldn't she accept that maybe he was looking past his crush and speaking these lines out of love? Why was it so hard for her to look past that possibility? Finn was being as serious as he's ever been, and she still failed to determine whether he was speaking out of a crush or true love, and she hated herself for that.

_**And I love her.**_

"…Finn…is what you're saying true?" she asked. "Do you really love me from the bottom of your heart and you're not just letting a crush talk for you?"

Finn stared at the princess for a bit, Bubblegum feared that she may have hurt Finn again, before he chuckled a bit. The princess was not expecting him to respond like that as Finn placed a free hand over his heart.

"…why from the bottom of my heart…?" he said, "…take the whole thing, why don't you?"

_**A love like ours…**_

Bubblegum couldn't help but smile at the sweet line Finn made. It was a warm smile, the same kind Finn was addicted to, and she laughed a little from what little joy she could salvage at that moment. Finn chuckled again as well, and the two laughed for a while, sharing their laughter with each other by exchanging gasps of air. When the energy of the laugh died, Finn spoke again.

"…but seriously. I'm sure of it," Finn said, "This isn't a crush, Bubblegum. I love you, with all of my heart, and I want you to know that."

_**Could never die.**_

Finn's little smile faded, his hand falling from his chest, and turned around to face his back to the princess. Bubblegum was overtaken by the sad mood once again as Finn poke.

_**As long as I**_

"…but…you told me yourself…that you don't love me…like I love you…" Finn said slowly.

_**Have you near me…**_

Bubblegum didn't want to hear Finn say anything more about what he thought of her love. She had no idea how deep Finn's feelings were and her words had only made Finn feel worse afterward. She let the guise of a childish crush affect her view on their relationship until Finn finally mustered up the courage to speak his heart, and when he did, the crush ploy clouded her judgment and she spoke untrue words to him that saddened him greatly. And it was because of this that Bubblegum felt horrible about what she said to him, that a romance developed from a crush would have no strong grounds in a relationship. After the events that took place in the Ice King's palace, she realized that her feelings for Finn had been hidden in her conscious, kept at bay by the illusion of a crush. She realized, during the fight with the Ice King, that her feelings for Finn were deeper than she let on.

And that made her feel twice as worse.

_**Bright are the stars that shine,**_

"No! Finn…" she grabbed his shoulder, holding him so that he wouldn't try to walk away from her, "…Finn, I…I…"

Finn turned his head slightly to the left, "…yeah?"

_**Dark is the sky.**_

"…" Bubblegum was almost sure of it now. She was almost certain that Finn truly did love her for who she was. But the uncertain feelings still loomed in her head, and she needed to know for certain if Finn's love truly did go beyond what a simple crush couldn't do.

_**I know this love of mine…**_

"…Finn, you said you'd do anything for me…to see me smile…right?" she asked.

Finn turned his body back around, Bubblegum releasing her hand from his shoulder, as he stared into the concerned eyes of the princess.

_**Will never die,**_

"…yeah…I would…" he answered.

"Then…" the princess gulped, "…if you really loved me…then…remove your hat for me."

_**And I love her.**_

Finn's eyes widened in shock at her request. She knew how important his hat was to him, as no matter how many times she would ask, especially during the early days of their friendship, Finn would never remove his hat for her, or anyone for that matter. It was the only memory he had of his parents who probably made it for him and it was extremely special to him. Finn placed a hand on his chin, deeply considering what to do at this point. It was a matter of which was more important, his hat, or Bubblegum.

In the end, it was a simple choice.

Finn moved his hand to the top of his hat and gripped a fold he made. Bubblegum gasped in reaction, for that she was going to see what no one else, maybe not even Jake, would see in a million years. She remembered that she had asked Finn to do this for her, whereas he'd otherwise deny such a request. Removing his hat for her at this moment, just for her, made her realize just how serious Finn was when he said he'd do anything for her.

Finn pulled off the white hat in a tugging motion and revealed to Bubblegum the golden hair that coated his scalp. With his hat hanging in his right hand, Finn ran his left hand through his blonde hair to alleviate it of stiffness it had endured while under the cover of his hat. Bubblegum stared at his hair for a while, acknowledging just how different Finn looked without his iconic hat, and slowly walked towards him, still stricken with surprise.

"…m-may I?" she asked, holding her hands out as if she wanted to feel for herself.

_**Bright are the stars that shine,**_

Finn calmly closed his eyes, meaning that the princess had permission to fully inspect his hatless head. Bubblegum hesitantly touched the hair with her hands, noticing how smooth it was, as her other hand trace the boy's neck and chin. She ran her fingers through several strands of hair, finally feeling human hair for the first time aside from her own candy hair. She ruffled it, combed it, and even played with it for a bit before her curiosity got the better of her when she failed to notice how close her chest was to Finn's face. Finn opened his eyes shortly after Bubblegum began running her hands through his hair only to see how close he was to a private portion of the princess's body. His face turned crimson as Bubblegum inched closer and closer the longer she experimented with his hair. Finn suddenly turned too shy to say anything as the fabric of her dress tickled the tip of his nose and the princess was too focused on his hair to notice. He was going to lose it if the princess didn't stop soon.

_**Dark is the sky.**_

"…p-princess…?" Finn shyly whispered.

Bubblegum looked down to meet Finn's face, and that was when she noticed how uncomfortable she was making the boy feel. At first, she thought it was odd that his face was slightly red, until she looked harder to notice where the boy's face was. The difference in their height always reminded her why she always had to lean downward when they hugged, and this was the reason why.

_**I know this love of mine…**_

Her own face began to heat up as she pulled away, turning her back to him, and covered her chest with her arms in embarrassment. She didn't even notice what she was doing until Finn spoke up. She was the one at fault for the compromising position the two were in, even worse because she was the one who asked to feel his hair in the first place. It was just like when they first met, which was funny in hindsight if she had done the same thing back then.

"I-I'm sorry, Finn! I didn't…see…" she stammered, too shy to face the boy.

_**Will never die,**_

Finn, still red from the embarrassing incident, puffed up his cheeks and walked towards her, hat still in his hand. With his other hand, he placed it onto the princess's shoulder, surprising her as she looked to see the boy's honest face.

"…don't be. …really, that's what I like about you princess," he said with a warm smile, "You always tend to get carried away when something fascinates you. Manners usually fly over your head when it happens, and…I think it's cute."

Bubblegum stared at Finn for a while, who suddenly looked less like a child and more like a teen without his hat, and smiled back warmly at him. She chuckled and apologized for her actions, Finn chuckled in response as well.

_**And I love her.**_

"…there's that smile you promised me…" Finn said, reaching his hand to the princess's cheek.

Bubblegum smiled even more at this, placing a hand over his. She noticed that it was no longer cold from scaling the ice walls but warm from the emotions flourishing in his heart. She placed the other hand on Finn's shoulder, taking in his hatless image as she stared into his eyes.

She was absolutely sure, now. She could tell from the way Finn solemnly stared deeply into her eyes that he may be a child, but he had a big heart that he wanted her to have. He had a competent understanding of what love was and who he loved, it was the fact that he was so young that casted the ploy of a crush to her that she was unable to see the real feelings they had for each other. Finn loved her for her scientist's passion and pleasing smile, and she loved him for the hero he was and his big heart. Finn loved Bubblegum, and Bubblegum loved Finn. It wasn't rocket science, really.

The two blinked a bit before they slowly submitted to a magnetic pull between their faces. Finn would normally be embarrassed at simply thinking of such a scene like this, more so that it was really happening, but all thought in his mind just vanished aside from a single line of action, to kiss the princess. Bubblegum had a similar opinion as well. She was only focused on pursing her lips and slowly shutting her eyes the closer their faces drew. Finn instinctively placed his right hand, occupied by his hat, on her waist as their lips were inches apart. Finn and Bubblegum shut their eyes as their lips came in contact, the sweet kiss of the princess meeting the boy's lips. Bubblegum moved her left hand from Finn's shoulder to behind the boy's head, running her hand through his hair before pulling him closer into the kiss. Finn did the same, moving his left hand from her cheek and reaching for the back of her head to tighten the contact between the two. Strength found its way into Finn's right arm as he suddenly pulled Bubblegum's body closer to his. The princess had a similar idea, moving her right hand to the back of his left shoulder, further tightening the loving embrace while the two kissed each other passionately. Their bodies warmed up each other in the chilly ice domain, soon numbing out any trace of cold air from their passionate hug. They were in their own world now, their hearts being the only thing keeping their spirits warm.

Nothing could split their love now, not even time.

Finn parted from the kiss temporarily, staring into the loving eyes of the princess, "…I love you, Bubblegum."

Bubblegum's eyes seemed to sparkle at this. She smiled happily and responded, "I love you just as much, Finn."

Finn smiled slyly, "Just as much? Why not more?"

Bubblegum giggled, "Well, considering you've traveled nearly a mile, risked death, and fought the Ice King without Jake's help, it's safe to say your love is a level beyond my scientific comprehension."

Finn chuckled warmly, "Love isn't about knowing, it's about feeling."

She chuckled in response, "Shut up and kiss me."

Finn obliged.

The sun hid behind the mountains of ice in the domain, simulating an early sunset. The cast of sunlight through the frozen hills painted a mix of shadows and light beams all over the snowy land, the trees and denser parts of the ice casting shadows while the clearer sections of the glaciers intensified the beams of sunlight. The spectacular display of light and darkness overcastted the two lovers, shining the brightest beam light on the couple as they resumed their loving embrace. The glow of sunlight through the icy hills simulated the shining through of painted glass over the two lovers, and painted the perfect scenery for them as they continued their love locked hug.

Finally, he thought, finally.

**End of Chapter 4**

Stay tuned, everyone. Next chapter is the final chapter of the story; the epilogue. We have our happy endings, but we have to have justifications, here!

Song used – **And I Love Her **– by The Beatles.


	5. Hearts Aglow

Super sorry about not updating this. Sort of fell into major procrastinations for some reason. But whatever. The wait is over. Enjoy!

…

_Time has the power to change anything, to defeat anything, to create anything… It moves people like no other force in the world. It can add or subtract, heal all wounds, tell what is yet to be, and it does all of this for itself. It paces for no one, rewinds for no one, the only consent it has is its own, and its only concern is to move forward at the same pace it will always run at…_

**Chapter 5 **– Hearts Aglow

'The sun looks so beautiful…' she thought, '…and to think, its wrath threatens me…'

Her elbows leaned on the hard cake bricks of the balcony rails, one hand to her cheek as she stared at the sun. She'd normally be out of the light of the sun, especially as its summer rage would melt her candy composition. But the weather forecast predicted that the day would be at an all time low temperature of all summer and the sun was just setting. She figured there would be no harm in watching the sun drop in the sky by herself. Well, she wouldn't be alone soon. She was waiting for someone.

She had been staring at the sunset while she waited. Now that she was able to acknowledge the sun's rays and feel its warmth, she understood how important the astronomical spectacle was for the planet, and that it was just a natural occurrence that she shouldn't dislike it for. The sun was a figure of time, how it comes and goes, leaves and returns, forever stuck in the perpetual circle of time. The sun was to be loved when it was there, and missed when night replaces it. Night seemed like the enemy to the sun, but she knew the fact hidden underneath, that when there was night, day would follow, sooner or later. And like day, there was always the night to look forward to as an escape from the sun and its light. Time determines when day and night ends and begins, and no other power in the world could move the sun or moon like that.

The power of time is an incredible force.

_**Don't let me down,**_

"Princess!" the voice of a young boy rung behind her.

She turned around at the sound of the call. There, in the doorway, stood the boy with his iconic hat wrapped around his head. In his hand was a torn open envelope and letter. Her curiosity piqued at the sight of the paper and she was anxious to learn of what was written on it, as it was special enough for Finn to bring to her, but she hushed any words creeping in her throat as she knew she'd find out soon enough. The boy waved his free hand as he approached the pink princess, smiling as she smiled at his appearance.

_**Don't let me down.**_

Yes, like the sun, his smiling face was warming. And she knew that every day when she'd fall asleep, there'd be that heartwarming face to look forward to.

"Hey Finn," she greeted, pulling her elbows away from the balcony, "I've already told you to just call me 'Bubblegum' from now on, remember?"

_**Don't let me down,**_

Finn reached one hand behind his head in modesty, "Sorry, I keep forgetting. Old habit, you know?"

Bubblegum sighed. He looked so cute when he's shy, she thought.

_**Don't let me down.**_

She approached the boy and wrapped her arms around him, leaning slightly due to the difference in their height. She sighed softly as she closed her eyes, adoring the embrace. Finn obliged and wrapped his arms around the princess's waist, gripping tightly as he shut his eyes and inhaled her sweet scent. The boy would've normally been embarrassed in a close position like this, especially with the girl he loved, but time had mellowed out that feeling as the two were much closer now than they've ever been. They were no longer admirers, but close lovers, as time had allowed it. Time had caused their hearts to grow in the presence of each other, longing for unity but distant by disbelief. Such trivial matters where a thing of the past, the aching feeling of the absence of another heart, the pain of time taunting them with their presence, so close to each other yet unable to have what they wanted.

The power of time is an incredible force.

_**Nobody ever loved me like she does,**_

Finn parted from the hug after a while, waving the letter in the air and showing it to the princess, "Anyway, guess who I got a letter from?"

Bubblegum tilted her head, "Is it someone I know?"

Finn moved away from the princess and towards the balcony, "Oh, you know him pretty well."

_**Ooh she does,**_

She hummed, "…I assume it's not someone from the Candy Kingdom?"

"Nope, but he lives in a kingdom nearby," Finn sat on the rails of the balcony with one leg balanced on the floor, careful not to teeter off the edge.

_**Yeah she does.**_

Bubblegum frowned and walked towards the rails, frowning at the trivia but also at Finn's lack of safety concern. "I give up, just tell me."

He smiled slyly and waved the paper again, "Alright, but let me read it first. I think you'll figure out who it is from the context."

_**And if somebody loved me like she'd do me,**_

She smiled and leaned on the rail, eyes directed at the boy. "Alright, read it to me, then."

Finn playfully stirred up a succession of coughs as he cracked the paper in the air, stimulating a short giggle from the princess as Finn feigned professional narrating.

_**Ooh she'd do me,**_

"_Dear Finn,"_ he read, _"Where should I begin? Well, things have been different in the last week since we've last seen each other. I can certainly say things became different when I lost my powers to you in battle."_

Bubblegum hummed in response to the line Finn read. She was reminded of a certain person she had not heard of in quite a while.

_**Yeah she does.**_

"_On one hand, I am enraged for the permanent damages you have inflicted against me, as I've figured out how hard it is to repair a magic crown, not that I have succeeded, of course. But on the other hand, the handicap of my magical abilities showed me how different my life is without them. I can no longer harm or threaten people like I used to, so I had no choice but to retire princessnapping."_

_**Don't let me down,**_

Bubblegum chuckled. She knew exactly who it was.

"_A few days ago, I was sitting by my lonesome in the park, thinking about what I was to do in life after you left me a powerless husk. And then, unexpectedly, a princess, Engagement Ring Princess to be exact, came up to me and asked me what I was doing all by myself without my crown. I told her most of what happened between you and me, and all of a sudden, she didn't look afraid of me. I was powerless sure, without most of my ice magic I couldn't try to kidnap her, even if I wanted to, but something gave her the incentive that I was helpless and lonely, and she wasn't afraid to be near me. It was a different change of pace, things were…"_

_**Don't let me down.**_

Bubblegum was rather surprised to hear this. She knew Engagement Ring Princess well, and she also knew how lonely and desperate for love the ring princess was, but she didn't think she'd ever consider the Ice King the least bit attractive.

Then again, maybe she was looking past his evil demeanor and liked the Ice King for his heart rather than his person.

_**Don't let me down,**_

Finn continued, _"We talked for a while. It was a nice talk. Different from when princesses whom I've kept captive are forced to talk to me. She was relaxed, more like herself, and she seemed happy the longer we talked. I found out that she was a bit of a loner, like I was, and that her only friends were Bubblegum and Emerald Princess. Other princesses were usually out of contact or didn't like her that much, which was disheartening to hear. She also told me that she didn't talk to other people so much because no one listened to or acknowledged her. I was the first person to ever have a lengthy conversation with her. It made me feel special, for the first time in my life. I mattered to someone, I suddenly became a character in their life…"_

_**Don't let me down.**_

Bubblegum thought to back a memory of her time with the ring princess and noticed how little she spoke. She was always by her lonesome, she never spoke to anyone other than when she was addressed to, she was always so shy of other people, generally, she was rather sad most of the time. But she had no idea the ring princess was so lovesick, sick enough to approach the Ice King in his weakest moment.

_**I'm in love for the first time.**_

"_After some time, I lost track of how long we were talking, she had to return home before her parents returned, and that made me feel sad. I beckoned her to stay a little longer, but then she offered me her phone number. I was a little nervous about it, since I remembered how I forced my phone number to her when I first kidnapped her, but she told me she got over it. But still, thinking about it now is still unbelievable. A princess giving me her phone number? I just felt so bubbly and giddy. And if you're wondering or just skeptical of me, no, I didn't use a hypnotizing ring on her to do it. She's immune to ring magic. …don't ask how I figured it out."_

_**Don't you know it's gonna last.**_

Bubblegum laughed. She remembered the adventure Finn told her about when the Ice King was getting married to a princess he hypnotized with the same spell he mentioned in the letter. Her favorite part was the 'man'lorette party the two went through the trouble of throwing for the king. Things didn't end well, to say the least.

_**It's a love that lasts forever,**_

"_So, as time went on, Engagement Ring Princess and I spent much of our time just talking on the phone. It was a different experience overall because, for the first time in my life, I was happy about talking to the princess even though she wasn't there. We talked about all sorts of funny things, personal things, things that we hated, and things that we liked. I thought it was pointless to speak of such things, especially since some of the things we talked about were different in opinion, but all I cared about was talking to her and it made me feel happy knowing she had me to talk to. My nights alone were no longer filled with sadness, but a bright cheery attitude thanks to her. And all throughout my time with her, I thought about what you said to me, Finn."_

_**It's a love that has no past.**_

Bubblegum raised a brow at this. It was pretty difficult to forget what happened a week ago, but it's not like Finn said anything noteworthy to the Ice King, did he?

"_You spoke about the extent of love and what limits can't hold a person down. When it occurred to me that maybe I was falling for the princess in a natural way and not just an evil kidnapper, I realized how much commitment one must have to a relationship if they're serious about it. You were clearly committed to Bubblegum and did things I'd have never done. If I was to do the same for any other person I loved, I'd have to keep your advice in mind whenever the situation called for it. You helped me see things that were different in perspective to the way I saw them, and I must thank you for that."_

_**Don't let me down,**_

The princess sighed happily hearing this. At least the Ice King was recovering from the battle that week ago.

"_Yesterday, me and Engagement Ring Princess went on a date, and let me tell you, it was wonderful. I was almost certain I was going to screw up somewhere and she'd hate me forever about it. I was really nervous. But I simply acted like I normally did, minus the magical powers, and we had a lovely time together. We didn't do anything major, we just went to places that I liked or she liked. The opera was a little hard to endure, but seeing her smile like that made it worth the bleeding ears. She didn't complain much either when we sat in the snow and watched two polar bears fight. She only complained about the cold, and I loaned her my coat for a while. Overall, we enjoyed our time together, even though I only wished we talked a little more, like we used to. But I liked it, and I felt super happy for the first time in forever. I think I'm gonna ask her to marry me. I giggle just thinking about it."_

_**Don't let me down.**_

Bubblegum laughed at this line. She thought it was a bit creepy that the Ice King was going to get married again, and for real this time, but as long as he and all parties involved were ok with it, no harm was being done.

"_I'll ask her next time we talk. Wish me luck, okay Finn? From, the Ice King."_

Finn elevated the paper in his hands to read one last line.

"_P.S. Tell Bubblegum that I'm sorry for what a jerk I was. That goes to all the other princesses I've kidnapped in the past."_

_**Don't let me down,**_

Finn folded the letter and slid it back into the envelope. He sighed with a smile on his face as he looked to the princess, expecting a response to the last line of the letter. The princess simply sighed.

"That Ice King…" she said, "…he's not such a bad guy after all."

Finn folded the envelope and stuffed it in his pocket, "I gotta say, I didn't expect anyone to become attracted to him, even without his magical crown."

Bubblegum lifted herself from leaning on the rails and turned her body around to resume staring at the sunset, "Power can change people, just as much as time can."

_**Don't let me down.**_

Finn turned his body around on the rails, facing the sunset and his legs swinging freely in the air. "Yeah…I guess…that's one of the advantages of being human."

The princess looked to Finn, "How do you mean?"

Finn looked down in thought, "Well, in all of my life, I've seen many strange creatures. Some of them are super strong while others can use magic. Some even have special abilities that only they can use. But me?"

Finn held out his right hand and stared at his palm. Bubblegum looked at it as well, subconsciously holding out her right hand as well and opened it. She looked at the it, then compared it to Finn's human hand. Certainly, they were similar, aside from the color.

"…I've yet to discover any sort of power I have as a human, if we have any," Finn said, "My sense of smell is nothing compared to Jake's. Some people out there have more strength than me. And some animals can even use magic. What do I, as a human, have over anyone else in the world?"

Bubblegum looked to Finn, then back to her hand. She walked over to Finn and took the hand he was holding out into both her hands. She placed her hand palm down over his and gently caressed it.

"You have a heart, Finn," Bubblegum said, looking up at Finn, "The biggest heart in all of Ooo."

Finn looked up into Bubblegum's face, seeing her warm smile glowing in the light of the sunset. Finn smiled in return, feeling better about himself from her words. He stared into Bubblegum's face, illuminated by the glow of sunlight, and felt his heart warm up folds over from normal. Of all the smiles he'd seen of the princess, this one suddenly became his favorite.

He leaned in towards the princess in a beckoning manner. Bubblegum felt the boy's movement and leaned forward as well, moving one hand away from Finn's and holding his face with it. Finn's other hand found its way to the back of her head and soon the space between their lips disappeared. The two of them pulled each other's heads closer, tightening the kiss as they savored each other's taste. Bubblegum's sweet candy lips against Finn's human mouth. An amalgamation of saliva the two fed on every time they locked lips, and they would do this several times a day, consecutive, even. But time had no effect on them. Time moved on without them as their hearts flamed from each other's burning passion, the love they felt burned hotter than any summer sun. Time continued to push the sun further under the horizon as the clock counted down the seconds.

The power of time is an incredible force.

The only force strong enough to defy it was love.

The two parted from the kiss after what seemed like minutes, a trail of saliva forming a waning bridge between their lips. They opened their eyes and stared into each other, the light of the sunset casted a sparkle in their eyes. Lost in the eyes of their souls, they sat there, adoring the person they loved them for. Their arms lost the support of strength and their hands slid down each other's arms. Eventually, their palms met the bare skin of their arms, stimulating a spark of sensuality in the other. The desire to embrace their lover was acted upon by their hearts and not by conscious, it was not a command brought on by their minds but by feeling, the feeling to forever feel each other, the feeling of love. The princess moved her right arm to the boy's back as Finn did the same, wrapping his left arm around her waist and pulling her into a hug tightly. The two turned their heads away from each other's and towards the glow of the sunset, arms hung on their backs and bodies resting against each other.

The sun was halfway under the border of the horizon, distant mountains drawing a zigzag line on the sun's face. The wave of the sun's heat was receding and cool night air chased it away. The shade of night crept in the sky opposite of the solar sphere, the moon rising earlier than anticipated on the other side of the sky. Stars began to dot what little night there was, twinkling modestly as the veil of sunlight fell slowly under the landscape. The couple sighed contently as the sun stalled its leaving, the shadows of the world before it growing with each passing second. Bubblegum had seen this happen before several times for the past seven days, starting from the first night after Finn confessed his love for her. He had agreed to be there with her every sunset for every day of his life. It was a promise he made, out of his declaration of love, and he's held it up loyally for the past week. It was always such a fun time for them as Finn sacrificed a bit of his schedule just for her.

But then…Bubblegum was beginning to feel bored of it.

She didn't want to be misinterpreted. She loved Finn, yes, but ever since she accepted the position of his girlfriend, things haven't changed much since then. They still spoke as often as they did, they still talked the same way they did, the only difference in their days were watching the sunsets together and the liberty of engaging in kisses. Only, these things seemed to have been happening at a quicker pace than normal. She didn't know what to make of this anomaly, but she was scared to find out.

She frowned at these looming thoughts. She was afraid to confront Finn with these questions in fear that there may be some traumatic recoil as a result. She was afraid of the possibility that their relationship would end at realization of the hidden truth, or that the illusion of romance was deceiving them again. She realized these questions the previous day, when she noticed how the two had been repeating the same sunset over and over again. The only thing keeping her from assurance was that the sunset was beautiful every time they watched it, like the way a flame burns but never in the same pattern of flares. Was it because they loved watching it, or because she was watching it with Finn, or was that the feeling influenced from the boy's heartwarming presence? She wasn't sure, but she wanted to ask. She wasn't afraid of the answer to her question. She was afraid of what would happen after the questions were answered.

Finn was right there. Now's her chance to speak.

_**And from the first time that she really done me,**_

"…Finn?" she spoke up.

Finn hummed a little in response, turning his head to her.

"…I'm…kind of worried…"

Finn's relaxed body riled up with strength in response, lifting himself upwards to shift his position.

_**Ooh she done me,**_

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Bubblegum looked downward, biting her lip, "…we've been doing this for the past few days…"

Finn glanced at the sunset, then back to Bubblegum. "Well, I did say I'd be here every sundown with you, right?"

_**She done me good.**_

Finn leaned his body forward, weighting himself backwards to counteract his balance on the rails, so that he could have a better look at Bubblegum's face.

"…if you're bored, then maybe you want to do something different?"

The princess gently shook her head, "That's not what I meant…"

Finn was now curious as to what was ailing the princess's subconscious, shifting his body to sit on the rails horizontally, to better focus his attention on an impending conversation.

"So, what's wrong then?" he asked.

_**I guess nobody ever really done me,**_

She thought a little before softly sighing, "Finn…is this what it's come to?"

Finn tilted his head, "Huh?"

"I mean…this, right now…us being together…" she lifted her head up and looked out into the sunset, now half swallowed by the earth, "…is this really what our days will be like? Just staring out into the sunset, hugging, and kissing?"

_**Ooh she done me,**_

Finn wasn't sure what the problem was. It didn't really seem like a complaint to him.

"I guess…what I'm trying to say is…things aren't that different from before. I'm starting to think we were a little hasty with our decision…to become a couple."

_**She done me good.**_

Bubblegum turned her head to face Finn, expecting to see a worried or panicked expression. To her surprise, Finn's face was neutral, calm, but somehow thoughtful in the aspect that he had something to say. He stared at her, trying to find the correct words in his head to sort out Bubblegum's conundrum. He shifted his body and directed his legs away from the open space beyond the balcony, landing on the floor with a grunt.

"Bubblegum," he said, looking into her eyes, "I think you're thinking too much. Love isn't something you think about. It's something you feel."

Bubblegum turned her head away and back towards the sunset, "I know, you told me that. But…I'm still not sure about it."

_**Don't let me down,**_

Finn placed a hand on her shoulder, "Listen, who makes you laugh like no other?"

Bubblegum turned slightly to the boy, "…you do."

Finn nodded, "Who makes you feel better when you're down?"

Bubblegum cracked a small smile, "You do."

"And who'd beat up a Mushroom Goblin 'cause he didn't say excuse me when he walked out of that convenience store, just for you?"

Bubblegum couldn't help but utter a laugh when he said this. He was referring to a certain afternoon a few days ago when the two were walking around at a swap meet. The princess was being a bit spacey that she didn't see the goblin walk close by. It was mostly her fault that she didn't move out of the goblin's way, but the guy actually was a jerk and Finn was swift in dealing a beating to injustice.

_**Don't let me down.**_

"Oh Finn, you didn't have to do that for me," she said, placing a hand over her heart, "but yes, only you would've done that, perhaps because you already did."

Finn smiled, "Who's to say I wouldn't do worse?"

They laughed together, laughed like they usually did, laughed like they always would. It was a heart swelling laughter, the kind you'd smile at just by hearing it. One can hear their hearts laughing along with their lungs, a sign that they enjoyed each other's presence.

Once the princess grew tired of laughing, she took the opportunity and calmed down enough to talk, "You're right. I guess love isn't something you think about."

Finn's laughter withered away as Bubblegum spoke, allowing himself enough air in the last breath to talk, "What'd I tell ya? Love is a natural emotion, it's a part of being human."

"Yes…it can be a strength…and a weakness…" she said as she stared back at the sunset, "It makes some people stronger and rise up, or make them weaker and fall down."

_**Don't let me down,**_

Finn leaned on the rails, his elbows supporting him, "If this feeling is exclusive to the human heart…" he said, staring at the sunset, "…and if there is no end to the power of love, then I'm glad to be a human."

Bubblegum sighed contently, "Love…can do anything…"

Her stare descended downward and her thoughts turned back to her previous confusion, about her concerns of time and lack of development in their relationship.

"I guess…maybe love affected my perception of time," she said, "I mean, I felt as if we were doing things too fast, and we were moving so slowly in our relationship. I was so worried we were doing things wrong, when, in the end, I was just losing track of time."

"Time…" Finn uttered, "Time is a funny thing, it is."

Bubblegum nodded, "Time is a concept I doubt I'll be able to fully grasp."

_**Don't let me down.**_

Finn turned his head to her, "Really? You're just going to drop the book when you've only read the first page?"

Bubblegum laughed, "I understand it linearly, Finn," she said in her defense, "It's just that…humankind has tried to understand all of the things that don't make sense in the world. Since the beginning of time, time itself was something they never understood. What sort of knowledge can I learn that humanity was never able to achieve about time?"

Finn smiled and scoffed, "Well, maybe humans looked at time all wrong. They probably looked at it left and right, up and down, in and out, when they really should've looked at it from the front."

Bubblegum placed a hand on her chin at Finn's words. She never thought about it, looking at time from a different perspective. The more she thought about it, the more excited she got, like discovering a hidden window in the house you were born in.

"…perspective…" she muttered, "Maybe you're right, Finn. One needs a sense of perception to fully understand anything of this world."

Finn moved his arm and placed a hand over hers, "See? No reason to give up. Always keep looking, to know what is unknown, like the Bubblegum I know."

Bubblegum smiled warmly at the boy, the last beams of sunlight, escaping from the valleys of the mountains at the edge of the world, illuminating her pink face. Somehow, the boy always knew how to make her feel better, even when she was feeling fine. Whether he'd offer a favor or when she was feeling depressed, Finn, like the sun, warmed her spirit and lit the world around her just by being there. Like the sun, he was the light to her, and she needed him to keep her days bright and cheerful. Whenever he'd be away, the world would seem dimly lit and cold, like the night wrought by the moon. But she was never sad when he wasn't there. She knew, as time allowed it, that he'd return soon, to shine on her world and warm the corners of her heart.

Finn smiled and drew closer to the princess, moving another arm to her spare shoulder. Bubblegum knew what he wanted again, and agreed to the gesture, moving one hand to his other shoulder while keeping her own shoulder gently covered under his hand. Their lips met once again as the last beam of sunlight hid under the mountains, sheltering the solar specter for the night. The red glow of the sun's aura painted the canvas of the sky above the mountains, the last light shining from the sun before it would completely disappear and leave the open sky to the freedom of the moon.

To the boy hero, Bubblegum was much like the sun, except she was more like a bright light that happened to hold some warmth. He always looked for her light while she would prefer to wait for his. Bubblegum was the light he needed to go on through the day. Like a lost hiker in a cave or an adventurer in a dungeon, she was the light he'd always look for when he needed a way out. She was his drive, the urge to live because of her. Other people casted a similar light, but none shone brighter than Bubblegum, and none were as warm, either. That warming smile, the sound of her laughter, the light of her heart. Whenever Finn was on an adventure, his will to live and to survive drew energy from his burning desire to see all of this again, and it has yet to fail him. No matter how bad things became or how dangerous things grew to be, her light was his beacon and he would always make it through. Her light, as time had permitted, grew brighter the longer they were together, and she'd always shine on, just for him.

Through the virtue of time, their hearts grew strong together. Through the will of time, their hearts tied together to create an unbreakable bond.

'The power of time…' they thought, '…is an incredible force.'

**End of The Power of Time**

Song used – **Don't Let Me Down** – by The Beatles

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